Friday November, 2 2012

Nature: Service Call

Location: Indian River Inlet Bridge

On Friday, November 2nd, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company was requested to assist the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company (86) with tankers to aid in the beach sand clean up efforts after Hurricane Sandy.

As many are aware by the recent news publications, the Indian River Inlet Bridge remains closed due the Atlantic Ocean breaching the dunes and moving tons and tons beach sand onto the Coastal Highway and Inlet Bridge approach ramps.

Today, at least seven (7) tankers from neighboring fire company companies provided assistance with these efforts. Illustrated herewith are a few photographs of the event.

http://capegazette.villagesoup.com/news/story/inlet-bridge-closed-until-nov-4/919180

Inlet bridge closed until Nov. 4

According to Delaware Department of Transportation, the Indian River Inlet Bridge will remain closed until Sunday, Nov. 4, pending completion of storm cleanup and inspection.

DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt said DelDOT employees have worked tirelessly to clear the roads since Hurricane Sandy buried parts of Route 1 in several feet of sand.

Bhatt said the crew has cleared the equivalent of 1.4 million 50-pound bags of sand from the roadway.

To prevent the bridge from being undermined by water in the future, Bhatt said he and state officials are discussing the installation of 1,000 feet of steel protective siding on the ocean side of the bridge.  Bhatt said the barriers are commonly used to protect bridges in Florida.

Bhatt said the bridge is structurally sound and was built to withstand stronger storms than Sandy.

Bhatt also said Prime Hook Road, which was also closed due to flooding from the hurricane, is scheduled to reopen Saturday, Nov. 3.

For a complete list of Sussex County road closures, go to http://www.deldot.gov/public.ejs?command=PublicTrafficReportDisplay.